Hartford Woman Sentenced To 28 Months For Allowing Apartment To Be Used To Store And Package Narcotics

MAY 9 -- June W. Stansbury, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that CHRISTINE RIVERA, 33, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday, May 8, by United States District Judge Mark R. Kravitz in New Haven to 28 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for maintaining a drug-involved premises. RIVERA pleaded guilty to the offense on May 14, 2007.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, on March 13, 2007, Drug Enforcement Administration agents went to RIVERA’s apartment at 590 Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford based on their suspicion that another individual had been using that residence to store and process narcotics. Just before the agents arrived at the apartment, RIVERA was seen attempting to conceal approximately 175 grams of crack cocaine in a stairwell of the building. Investigative officers found and seized the crack cocaine and seized several other items from the residence, including $16,500 in cash and a variety of drug paraphernalia, including packaging material, a scale and a cutting agent. RIVERA has admitted that she had known that another individual was using her residence to prepare and package drugs for sale to others.

This case was investigated by the Hartford resident office of the Drug Enforcement Administration.